Heros and Heroines
by mpingani
Summary: Hector and Achilles never die because there woman convinced them not to fight, what will happen, will peace ensue between Troy and Greece, will Achilles and Briseis get hitched in Vegas... no. AB and HA
1. Don't Leave

What if Achilles had never killed Hector? What if Achilles never died? Guess there would be no Achilles heel and they would have to name it after some other dead guy. AB and HA

I may be a distant relative of Homer but since I'm not Greek I highly doubt it so I own nothing, damn.

_Achilles' tent_

"Please Achilles! Hector is my cousin and a good man!" Briseis cried to her lover, or maybe former lover once this day was through.

"I have no choice." Achilles replied dryly to the woman he loved, although he had not admitted he loved her to her or to himself.

"You always have a choice." Briseis whispered.

"He killed my cousin."

"And if you kill Hector you will have killed mine."

"All's fair in love and war." (Hence the irony in that sentence ha ha ha)

"When does it end?" Briseis cried letting the tears fall free.

"It doesn't." Achilles answered in monotone, turning to leave.

"I love you and if you kill Hector I will not return to Greece with you!"

"What did you say?" Achilles whispered while turning back to face Briseis. Briseis in her mind scanned over the words she had just uttered. Did she really just say she loved him?

"If you kill Hector I will not return to Greece with you."

"No, before that."

"I love you Achilles, you are worse than a Siren, for instead of stealing my life, you have stole my heart." The normally timid Briseis said while looking her dear Achilles in his blue eyes, after she finished her sentence she averted her eyes to the wash basin which had just become very interesting.

"I.." Achilles muttered.

"I'm sorry for being so straight forward milord, forgive me." Briseis whispered while rushing to the other side of the room while busying herself with shining Achilles' armor.

"Briseis," Achilles said to a crouched over Briseis, receiving a shudder for recognition, after a minute of staring at Briseis' back Achilles finished his sentence, "Please, please, be my wife fair Briseis of Troy?"

_Hector and Andromache's room_

"Andromache listen to me," Hector pleaded to his crying wife, "I killed a young man today, and now the Gods will make me pay, I will ride into battle at sun rise, and I fear my dear wife that I shall not return."

"Don't leave Hector!" Andromache wailed into her husband's shoulder.

"I have no choice Andromache!"

"You, my fair husband, you always have a choice."

"Not this time my wife."

"It was one boy Hector, why is he different from the other soldiers you have conquered?"

"This boy was the cousin of Achilles, he dressed like him, spoke like him, fought like him, yet when I removed his helmet I found that it was not Achilles I had fought, but his cousin, his squire, he craves revenge, and only my blood can fulfill that craving."

"It was not your fault Hector!" The fair woman wailed yet again in tears, "It was a mistake!"

"It was fair Andromache, but Achilles will not see it that way, Achilles is not forgiving, yet he will let me die in honor, our lives are planned by the Gods for us before we are born, it is the will of the Gods that I die and I will not deny the Gods!"


	2. War is Not a Life

A/N Thanks for the three reviews I received, I tried to add more detail into the Chapter I hope you life it, by the way I added in a line of Shakespeare can any of you readers figure out which one it is?

_The Greek Camp_

Achilles stood outside his tent staring at the ocean while dawn spread its wings into the sky. He was a great warrior, he was born a warrior, his purpose in life was to fight and to win, but now Achilles found himself thinking that maybe there was more to his life than just war, for a life of war is really no life at all. Achilles now knew why Paris had challenged Menelaus even though he knew he would die, Paris fought for love, not for glory, immortality, or riches, he fought for the woman he loved and in the end was love not the best reason to fight?

Briseis had exited Achilles tent silently and was watching his back as he stared into the deep depths of the Aegean. Maybe, just maybe Briseis had convinced Achilles not to challenge Hector, for even though Hector was a great fighter, Achilles was better. One thousand what if questions raced through Briseis' mind, what if Achilles were to challenge Hector, what if Hector died, what if Achilles died? Would Briseis be capable of loving her cousin's killer, would she be capable of loving her lover's killer?

"I know you are there." Achilles said without turning to face Briseis.

"When do you leave?" Briseis uttered as a tear fell down her cheek.

"Tomorrow." Achilles responded without so much as a hint of emotion.

"Oh" Was Briseis' only reply and it was little more than a whisper.

"You musn't cry, I will not kill your dearest cousin." Achilles replied again with not emotion visible in his voice, "Priestess you are free to go, go back to Troy, embrace your kin, no one will stop you."

"Achilles no, please." Briseis cried, tears freely falling down her face.

"Go." It was a command, the type of command a commander would give to his soldiers, an owner to his slave.

"But,"

"You know I could end your life in one fell swoop." Achilles said still facing the depths of the sea.

"I love you Achilles!"

"What if love is not enough now go back to Troy priestess!"

"Do you love me or not Achilles, for if not I will leave this moment and never come back, but if you love me it is reason enough for me to stay here, even if it is against your will."

"I was born to fight Briseis, the gods have chosen this life for me and none other, I was born to win wars."

"But a life of war is not really a life at all." Briseis fought back, for she knew if she left this beach than she would have lost the man she loves, "Do you love me or not Achilles."

"I…"

"Do you believe in Aphrodite or not Achilles, or is Aries your only god, do you only respect him because you are his equal or because his name will last forever?"

Achilles knew that Briseis had a point, he knew that deep in his heart that he loved her, and he knew that war was no a life, and he knew that he would not be able to live without Briseis, for life seemed worth living when she was around, although Briseis had given no answer the night before when he had asked her to be his wife Achilles knew that Briseis would marry him.

"You wear a mask Achilles, you let no one know how you feel, not even you, so why not for once in your life try being honest with the world?"

Achilles stayed quite for a long moment while starring at his feet, "I can't, but please, don't go, I will not kill Hector, you have my word."

With that Briseis walked back into Achilles' tent without uttering another word.

_Hector and Andromache's bedroom_

It was dawn and Hector was awake, a naked Andromache was enveloped in his arms, he stared down at her sleeping form wondering if he would ever hold his wife like this again. As if Andromache sensed Hector staring at her she opened her eyes.

"Must you go today? You've been fighting your whole life can you not take one day off?

"If I do not show my face today Achilles will think I am coward."

"Please do not go Hector, I couldn't bear losing you Hector, I could not raise our children alone, I need you." Tears were beginning to fall down Andromache's smooth cheek; Hector whipped them away before they had a chance to roll down her chin.

"Children, you mean your?"

"3 months along."

A/N I promise more HA in the next chapter, hope you like this chapter.


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